Comparison of lidocaine 2% gel versus amethocaine as the sole anesthetic agent for strabismus surgery.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of lidocaine 2% gel with amethocaine 1% eyedrops as the sole anesthetic agent for one-stage adjustable suture strabismus surgery.

Design: Prospective, double-masked randomized trial.

Participants: Fourteen consecutive patients scheduled to undergo bilateral and symmetrical strabismus surgery under topical anesthesia in one institution.

Methods: Each patient was randomized to receive lidocaine 2% gel in one eye and amethocaine 1% eyedrops in the other eye as the sole anesthetic agent for surgery. Masking of the patient and surgeon was ensured by administration of a placebo gel and eyedrop as part of the regimen. Pain and discomfort were assessed via a 10-cm visual analog scale.

Main Outcome Measures: Subjective pain and discomfort perceived during surgery were assessed separately by the patient and the surgeon, and the need for any additional anesthesia was recorded.

Results: A total of 14 subjects indicated mean pain and discomfort scores of 2.6 and 3.2 respectively, for lidocaine gel, and 5.3 and 6.2, respectively, for amethocaine drops (P = 0.01). The mean number of additional drops required by eyes randomized to lidocaine gel was 0.3, compared with 1.6 for amethocaine drops (P = 0.02).

Conclusions: In terms of pain control, lidocaine 2% gel alone is a superior topical anesthetic for one-stage adjustable suture strabismus surgery when compared with amethocaine 1% eyedrops.